Social Development in Feral Children

The deprivation associated with the isolation from human society that feral children experience during those critical formative years has a profound effect on every aspect of their development, and especially socialisation. They don't learn to socialise, and don't want to socialise.

Preferred life in the wild

Virtually all feral children resisted capture except a very few who just turned up: one of these was Kaspar Hauser, who was a confined child and not a feral child, and another was the Child of Casamance, about whom we don't know enough to be sure he was nurtured by animals.

Those who learned to speak said they would rather return to their wild habitat, including both Memmie LeBlanc and the wolf boy of Wetterau. Several children made escape attempts, including Assicia and the Saharan gazelle-boy. One of the Indian wolf children, the first Sultanpur wolf boy, succeeded in his bid for freedom.

Shunned human society

By and large, feral children did not like human company and would go at lengths to avoid it, rarely showing any signs of attachment to another person. Read in Kitty's story how she prefers to live alone in the woods with her pets.

If given the chance, Kamala would prefer to keep away from other humans, and would sit facing the corner, her face entirely expressionless, for hours on end. Other feral children have shown no interest in other children their own age nor in the games they play. They do not recognise their own reflection.

Instead, children brought up by animals exhibit the social behaviour of their adoptive families. They lap drinks, and learn animal sounds and gestures. They dislike wearing clothing and tear it off, just as an animal would.

Reintegration into society

Not surprisingly, their inability to socialise means feral children are not on the whole good at reintegration with human society. Some are fine (for example, John Ssebunya), but some clearly aren't (Genie).

Animal bonds

While feral children dislike human society, they seek out the company of animals, and in particular animals similar to the species of their foster parents. Children brought up by wolves, for example, can also readily bond with dogs.

Equally, animals seem to recognise some unseen qualities in these children. Wild animals will approach feral children whereas they wouldn't come near other humans: for example, the first Lucknow wolf boy.

Displays of emotion

Emotionally, feral children are almost never known to either laugh or cry, although eventually some do develop an attachment. Over they years spent with Madame Guérin, Victor of Aveyron did develop an attachment to her and showed signs of joy and sadness. The wolf girl Kamala cried tears of frustration once when unable to tie her pyjama cord.

However, feral children had little or no emotional control, and several would be subject to sudden fits of anger, made worse by the fact that they could exhibit particularly fierce or wild behaviour. Some children were reported as having occasional fits of ferocity, biting and scratching others and even themselves.